What's Your 2014 Wish for RV Design

[magnusfide]

Thought this would be a good time for us to voice our wish list for RV designs and perhaps some companies will incorporate them.

Still on our list is for rv makers to let the customers design their own closets. With all the modular closet design products these days it's time for the RV industry to begin incorporating this concept.

[magnusfide]

magnusfide wrote:
Back to the topic: what features do you want to see manufacturers install on the new RVs of 2014 and beyond. So far better and more durable roofs that don't leak has the most votes.

[travelnutz]

Quoted:

"That post above reminds me of an old Chinese Proverb that I made up some time ago:"

"You'll never regret buying quality ... you just have to figure out how to pay for it."

Well!

That brings another thought: Why do people desire to buy 2 or 3 or more cheap built RV's over time to last as long as one quality built RV does? 3 cost's more than one would and the side benefit is the comfort enjoyed during the equal time period of ownership is priceless!

Not only that the dealer made more profit on 3 sales rather than one and the depreciation loss was much more on 3 cheapies along with usually many more repairs required. Why not win once rather than losing 3 times during the same period of total ownership???

[2gypsies1]

Hey guys..you keep adding to the wish list and RVs won't be affordable anymore. 🙂

[Cummins12V98]

I think most rubber roofs are fine. The problem is how good of a caulking job was done at the factory.

First RV had a metal roof and the metal leaked over time. Next three all had rubber roofs with no leaks. I did maintain them.

[spoon059]

First and foremost is a better roof system. It seems easy enough. As others have stated, almost any enclosed utility trailer has a maintenance free roof. It cannot be cost prohibitive to use that technology on an RV.

How about a dinette that isn't perpendicular to the trailer and makes for a narrow passageway, but parallel with the trailer where the table and center bench are on sliders. When you don't need to sit at the table, you can push the table against the wall and the benches slide just under the table. Instead of having a big table that sticks our from the wall 4 feet all the time and rarely gets used, you have the table turned and pushed against the wall and benches pushed underneath the majority of the time and it takes up 2 feet of space. You lose some storage underneath the benches, but you gain a LOT of interior space so you aren't pushing past your spouse to and from the bathroom.

I would personally like the idea of having the kitchen completely exterior of the RV. Honestly we rarely cook inside because of the humidity, increased heat, smells, etc. We end up using a charcoal grill, Foreman style grill, Crockpots, or other cooking devices outside rather than use the kitchen on most trips. Rather than offer an exterior kitchen AND interior kitchen, manufacturers could offer an exterior sink, cooktop and oven. You aren't cramped inside, you aren't cooking pasta and getting garlic smell inside for the rest of the weekend, you aren't dumping all that heat back inside the camper in the middle of July, you aren't stuck inside cooking while everyone else is outside having a good time. I'm not suggesting that they do this with ALL their campers, but maybe offer floorplans in low, middle and higher end priced trailers.

[magnusfide]

Back to the topic: what features do you want to see manufacturers install on the new RVs of 2014 and beyond. So far better and more durable roofs that don't leak has the most votes.

[pnichols]

That post above reminds me of an old Chinese Proverb that I made up some time ago:

"You'll never regret buying quality ... you just have to figure out how to pay for it." 😉

[travelnutz]

Cummins12V98,

It's simple!

If they don't or refuse to pay the price to get what they really want, they simply won't get what they say they want!

Only took a couple years of having a cheaply built RV many years ago (over 40) for us to get smarter. Gee, we like things to work, last a long time, hold their value so much better, and the real kicker is human comfort, contentment and joy that comes with properly built RV's, boats, and homes etc! Reading the forums tells you how people like to cheapout and then wonder why they have so many problems and are not happy!

Certainly not in our modus operandi and never will be as past experiences are great teachers but you do have to learn from them and then apply! That's the part so many gloss over... DUH!

[Cummins12V98]

michael8rc wrote:
Quit using China bomb tires. Real wood cabinets that don't fall apart when you just look at them. Real frames that last the life of the trailer. Doors and windows that really fit and open and close without super human effort.

HMMM……sounds like a DRV

Problem is most don't want to pay for the cost of many of the items that have been listed.

[mudmaker]

I would like to see a front and rear power point for the 30 or 50 amp plug. Not all sites are towards the rear where most seem to be. Some people run generators up front, even in the box of the truck so it would be convenient for that too.
Heat pump in every ac unit.
Better fit and finish of the storage doors. My Cougar storage doors were terribly fitted. Daylight around practically the whole door.
Seems more and more rvs are gearing windows towards setting up and turning that ac on and never think about opening up the windows for fresh cool air. Screen openings are small compared to the whole window space,

[pnichols]

Gjac wrote:
.... and greater cooling capacity for gas engines.

I'm curious ... what gas engines are you referring to?

[SiennaGuy]

One more thing: I'd like the Sprinter-based Class B vans to have power sliding doors. Manual sliding doors are fine until you park on a hill. If you have to park pointing downhill, the doors become guillotines.

[B_Sjulestad]

Slam latch doors and gas props standard along with better locks.

[Gjac]

Not mentioned yet would be batteries and generator on a slide out trays and greater cooling capacity for gas engines.

[mlts22]

Other than the roof, there are a few technologies to make slide-outs more rain resistant. Lippert bought out Solera, a company that made slide boots/slide sleeves, and coupled with a slide awning, this would go a long way to prevent water intrusion.

Of course, it would be nice if RVs could be up to par with stick/brick buildings when it comes to electrical codes. In a house, I'm not afraid to plug in a space heater, and allow it to run at 1500 watts. In most trailers, I'd likely burn the wiring out by doing that.